Moving Forward
by ellaeaton17
Summary: Takes place 2 1/2 years after allegiant. Story follows Scarlett as she runs away from her pasts and ends up in Chicago were she meets new friends and a mysterious guy, Tobias who catches her eye. Little does she know she caught his as well. Story about what happened to all the characters from Allegiant after the books end.
1. Chapter 1

Hey so I'm trying to write again. This story takes place 2 1/2 year after the epilogue in Allegiant. If you haven't finished the series then don't read this because your heart will be shattered.

The story follows Scarlett an OC of mine I hope you like her I sure do. I've been thinking of what I want this story to be for months now so let me know what you think of chapter one in the comments thanks!

Chapter 1

I made it to the gates about an hour ago. They were taller than I expected.

The second I got there I was placed into an isolation room. I'm still there. Its completely empty except for a plastic fold up chair in the middle and a camera hanging in all four corners. I can't help but focus on how much my back is killing me, when a short, thin man with dark skin and well kept hair burst through the door. I assume about an hour has gone buy.

"Sorry for the wait, it's been a busy day with this last three bus coming in consecutively." He has a hoarse voice, probably smoked most of his life.

He motions for me to follow through the door so I nod and stand. I follow the man whose name I have yet to learn down a hallway and into a separate room, this one though is full of medical equipment and it has a small window on the wall farthest from me. I sit on the large chair pressed against that spot. I wait pationtly there staring out the window. I can see the city, I think I'm still in shock from the disbelief that I actually made it.

"My name is Dominic. I'm a genetic aptitude tester and analyser here. I'll be conducting a series of test on you and then I'll send you on your way to another person who helps incomers like you transition into life in Chicago. First things first, I'm gonna draw some blood. You afraid of needles?"

I can't help but let out a little chuckle.

"Okay then." The man, Dominic, says with a hint of a smile. He wipes the inside of my elbow and wraps a band around my bicep. He sticks the needle in filling a small veil with me dark red blood. When he is done he asks me to stand.

"Step on the scale." I do, " 95 pounds. You're really skin and bones. But I guess that's common in the fringe." The way he says fringe comes off as condescending. "Go against the wall. 5 foot 3 inches. Alright you can sit back down. I must start a profile for you in system so whats your name."

I had thought of what my new name was going to be when I was on the bus. "Scarlett"

"Last name."

"People from the fringe don't have last names."

"Well some do."

Like you would know. He does a few more tests and rights down all the information.

"Okay so you pasted all the medical tests. Now I'm going to put you through a simulation."

"What kind of simulation"

"You'll find out," as he says as he hands me a glass of blue liquid and attaches two sensors to my temples. Without much hesitation I drink it. My head starts to spin and my eyelid get heavy. I dart them open and all the sudden the room is empty with the exception of two pillars, one with meat and one with a knife.

Dominic's hoarse voice rings through the air, "Choose."

I grab both.

The pillars disappear and I hear growling behind me. Slowly I turn around and see a gray wolf standing feet in front of me. I crouch down and toss the meat to him and he stops. I smile with relief but he picks his head up again and stares down something behind me. Turning my head I see it's a little girl. The wolf charges forward and I get in his way stabbing the dagger in his side. Suddenly the scenery changes and I'm at a train station. I am able to grab a seat inside but an elderly woman gets on so I give her mine. As the train leaves the station a man comes running up to me.

"Do you know this girl?!" He says screaming in my face, "You could save me! Tell me who she is!"

I have a weird feeling about this girl. She looks strangely familiar but I have no idea who she is or where I could find her so I tell the man that.

Suddenly I shoot forward to sit up straight in the chair back across from Dominic. He gives me a startled look. His lips are parted but no words are coming out.

"What is it?" He starting to worry me.

"Wait right here. Don't move." Dominic gets up and runs out the door and I'm left sitting there dumbfounded. Within a minute Dominic comes bursting through the door with another man that has the same startled expression on his face. He is younger and taller, with pale skin and brown eyes.

"Scarlett I'm Matthew." He says slowly while extending his hand. I shake it. "I'm going to send you through the simulation one more time so I can see this time."

I give him a weird look but comply knowing I don't have any choice in the matter.

Once again I go through the simulation and when I wake Matthew looks like he just saw a ghost.

"Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on." I say with an edge in my voice. "What was the point of that."

"Dominic you can go now." As he gets up to leave, Matthew catches his arm. "I see a bright future for you here, don't go messing that up by telling anyone about what happened here today." It comes off as more of a threat than anything.

When Dominic leaves he begins talking again, "Scarlett what do you know about the way Chicago is set up?"

"Wasn't there a faction system before the war? I think it might have changed but I'm not to sure."

"After the war no one really knew how to handle things so the faction system was completely gotten rid of, but so many people in Chicago relied on it. It was their place in the world, part of their identity so last year we redefined the roles of the faction system. There is no longer a choosing ceremony where you are permanently bound and devoted to one faction but you are instead a resident of the faction. You choose where you lived based on what kind of life you want and that decision can change at anytime. People who live at Dauntless are most often a part of the defence jobs like law enforcement and people who live at Amity most often work the fields. The faction system is a part of an individual's life but no longer defines the person. When an individual decides to leave home for the first time, they receive an aptitude test to help them begin the journey that will become their life. Where you decide to move is not preminite or binding. You can move faction to faction. All the aptitude test is supposed to do is give a person some direction. We gave you the aptitude test just now. Most people get one, maybe two factions, only a few have ever gotten three. No individual has received four. We didn't see how it was possible for a person to get all five but today you proved us wrong."

"I have an aptitude for all five factions?"

"Yes Scarlett, it's fascinating and terrifying." His words after that become blurry. I'm not following what he is say. I try to focus on the pain emanating from my back, "In a perfect world your aptitude wouldn't be a problem but unfortunately that's not the case. There are people in this city that would kill to get their hands on you." I don't think he is exaggerating, "One of my most trusted friends works in helping people from outside the wall transfer into life in Chicago. I'll send you to her and we'll keep this under wraps. But Scarlett, you can't tell anyone about this, absolutely no one can be trusted with this information."

I nod still in shock not knowing what else to do. Matthew stands up and opens the door opposite from the one Dominic left in. It leads to a big loud room filled with cubicles, kids running around, babies screaming, adults arguing, it's quite overwhelming. Matthew leads me to one of the offices at the far end of the room. Sitting inside is a young women with dark brown skin and short cropped hair, dresses in black. She's quite beautiful. She gives Matthew a weird look, "Hey I didn't think I had any incomers today." She questions.

He closes the door to her office, "Christina, this is Scarlett. She needs your help." Matthew proceeds to tell her everything and her expression turns dark just as Matthew's had done.

When he's done talking she nods, "I'll handle it, give me ten minutes."

"Scarlett you wait here I have to go clear Dominic's memory of the day."

My eyes get wide, "You're going to do what?"

He doesn't respond just leaves. I guess I'm not getting any answers on that.

Turning back to Christina I see she is on a call. "I need a big favor and I don't think you're going to like it. I can't tell you why over the phone but I need someone to move in with you." She pauses for the moment, I can hear the person yelling but can't quite make out what they're saying, "I know I'm sorry I wouldn't ask if I had any other option but I don't know what else to do. She won't be safe on her own."

There is a pit in my stomach that has been growing with every word uttered in the last half hour. I try and focus on shaking my knee up and down.

No one's talking to me. This was a mistake. I should never have left. I don't care how bad it was there. It's better than being dead which kinda feels like a strong possibility now. My head is spinning. If I don't get some water I'm going to pass out.

"Scarlett!" Christina yells snapping me back to reality. She probably been yelling my name for a minute, "So I have a friend at Dauntless who you're going to stay with. I wish I could let you choose where you wanted to live but this is better than turning up dead or missing." She smirks like she trying to make light of the situation. Trying to make me feel better. The thing is though that the panic has passed. Christina is probably more panicked than I am. I'm past that. I feel nothing but the pain that's associated with death hanging over my head. "He is leaving work early and coming to pick you up. In the mean time you can wait here with me." I nod a little. She must see the terror in my eyes because she gives me a sympathetic smile. It makes me feel small and weak, "You're going to be fine. We're handling it."

Probably an hour or two goes by. Christina never stops hammering away at her keyboard, my head won't stop spinning. Finally I hear a knock on the door. Christina shoot up out of her chair and runs to open it. A man steps in. He's probably the most handsome man I've ever seen. Dressed in black with a tattoo just barely peeking out of his collar. He's about a foot taller than me with short brown hair chiseled featured and the most mesmerizing dark blue eyes.

"Scarlett this is Tobias, you're going to be staying with him for a while." I don't respond, just keep looking down. I don't want him to see me blush. "Okay well I'll send you on your way so you two can get to know each other. Tobias will show you around Dauntless. You've had a long day so we'll wait for tomorrow to choose a job and begin life in Chicago." She says it with a smiles. I appreciate that she's still trying to keep positive but if I've learned anything today, there's probably a high chance of me being dead by the end of the week.

Tobias turns and leaves the room without a word. I look to Christina for direction and she motions for me to follow. I do and Tobias leads me through hallway after hallway navigating the labyrinth without hesitation. Soon a doorway is in front of us leading outside. When we step out the sun is low in the sky but not setting. There is a little breeze but other than that it's warm. You can tell summer is approaching.

"Have you ever jumped on a train before?" It's the first time he's spoken to me.

"No don't they just stop at the station."

"Trick question, there aren't trains in the fringe, if you were from there you should have just said no. You're gonna have to be more careful if you're going to convince people that were your from."

I stare at him bewildered, "How, wh-, I don't know what your talking about."

"Don't worry your secret's safe with me."

The pit in my stomach has grown three fold. I have a lot of secrets, he knows I'm not really from the fringe but from that comment I feel like he knows more. But how? This makes no sense. No one can know where I'm from . How did he find out? How could he have? I've been with him every second since he's seen me. What the hell is going on.


	2. moving Forward 2

Chapter 2

After helping me on the train I take a seat oppostite of Tobias. He is staring down at his phone texting someone and I just stare at him trying to figure out what it is. How he knows I'm not from the fringe. What gave it away?

"You could just ask you know." He says

"What makes you think I'm not from the fringe?"

"I know you're not from there."

"How do you know I'm not from there."

"I'm not saying."

"Then what the fuck was the point of me asking."

"To know I'm not going to tell you. So you can forget about it. I shouldn't have said anything."

Silence returns to the trian car for a while. I pay more attention to the pain imminateing off my back and abdomin. I really got to get to a first aid kit. The wounds have been open for far too long without any treatment.

I feel the train slow slightly and see that it caught Tobias' attention as well. He puts his phone back in his pocket and stands, walking toward the door of the car and opening it. In that moment it becomes abundently clear that this trian won't be stopping. I take a deep breath and join Tobias on the wall directly across from the open door.

"Jump as far as you can in three two ONE!"

Together we run out of the car door and onto a roof. Unforunitly for me while in the air I spun and ended up landing on my back. As I make impact on the ground I scream out at the top of my lungs. My vision goes spotty. I'm not to sure if I'm going in and out of consciences beuase the only thing I'm aware of the unfathumabel pain. The kind of pain that years will pass by and you remember it like you felt it yesterday. The physcial aggony you never forget.

When I open my eyes again Tobias is over my shaking me. As he is about to flip me over so he can see my back I push him away as hard as I can. Granted I feel to weak to lift a pillow so it does't do much but he gets the message.

"Don't touch me! Leave me alone. I'm fine."

"No your not the gravel scarped up your back and by the looks of how drenched the ground is in blood you're going to need some help."

"I'm fine. Where are the stair?'

"They're aren't any." He says pointing to the whole in the ground feet in front of me.

I let out a sign, stand up walk over to it, but as I'm about to jump off Tobias grabs my arm.

"I'm going first." And then just falls. No screaming no hesitation just falls.

He call up to tell me the net is all clear I do the same. No delaying the enevitable ageny. Just ripping off the band aid. When I hit the net the pain is so intese I don't let out a scream, I don't cry, nothing. It paralysising. This hurt more but expirence of jumping of the train was worse. I think the whole point of someone crying out in pain is to ask for help. Its a way of telling others to come save you, to help make it stop. But I know no one can help me with this. So as I lay in the net paralysised, I seperate the two pains I am expirenceing, the physical and the emptional and just focus on the latter and try to escape the former. I try and focus on the fact that I might be dead by the end of next week and that Tobias know something about my past.

All the sudden the net is pulled down and I'm rolling of it. I stand and Tobias steadies me. "You good? Should I give you the tour now or later?"

"Lets just get it over with." I grunt.

He nods and leads me down a path. "We're coming up on the Pit, its the center of life here at Dauntless."

"Wow you guys got really creative with the names huh."

His head dart to me and gives me a questioning look but after a second turns his head back. As we approach, I am shocked by the shere magnitute of the place. It's filled to the brim with people and stores and offices and homes. It's pretty amazing.

All too soon we are going up a path that take the Pit out of sight. I can hear a slight roar in the distance and with every step it get louder and louder till its the only thing I hear.

Tobias screams over the running water, "This is the Chasm. Dauntless was founded by people who believed bravery was the most important trait a person could posses. The Chasm represents the fine line between bravery and idiocy. A daredevil jump into it will end a persons's life." For such a chaotic thing, it brings me so much peace.

We continue walking past what I assume are apartments. Tobas abbruptly stops in front of one and takes out a link of keys. He unlocks the door and swings it open, motioning for me to step inside and I do. It's very small, just one room with what i assume is a closet and bathroom. The walls are all painted a dark grey with a window taking up the majority of one of them. The bed is pushed up against the wall farthest from the door with the words 'FEAR GOD ALONE' painted over it. The kitchen, that really isn't a kitchen is to my right. There's a refigorator, stove/ oven, some cabinets and counter tops all black and an island/ table in the center. In the middle of the room there is a couch and loveseat facing the windowed wall that has a tv set up in front of it. The thing that draws my attention the most is the single bed.

"I'll take the couch" he says gruffly.

"No you're too tall and I don't mind." I would place my things there but I have nothing. "You wouldn't happen to have a first aid kit would you?"

"Ya under the sink the the bathroom," he says pointing to one of the two doors.

I walk to it and lock it behind me. Carefully I take of my jacket and the shirt, which has fused to the open cuts lining my back. From what I can tell the gravel did little damages. The whip's slashes and knife cuts however are slething. I turn on the shower as hot as it goes and take my remaining clothes off. I step in and flinch when the steaming water hits my back and stomach. I grit through the pain knowing this is the only way I'm going to get these clean. I let about ten minutes of this pass by, washing and conditioning my hair in the meantime and then turn it off. I pat down my body with one of the towels hung up. After realizing I don't have any clean clothes, I see no other optoin then to call out to Tobias for help, "TOBIAS?"

"I got clothes from a friend. They are sitting in front of the door."  
"Thanks"  
He grunts in response. I peak my head out and snatch up the clothes, then swiftly lock it again. I only put on the underwear and leggings so i can bangage up my back and stomach. The cuts along my abdomin are easy to fix up but I really stuggle with the ones on my back. When I come to except that this mediocre job is as good as it is gonna get, I put on the black lace bra that is too big for me and the baggy black cable-knit sweater that hides that fact. I towel dry my hair and step outside. Tobias is typing on his laptop not acnologing my presence. He is so intense, so focused on whatever it is he's doing. "What's your job Tobias?"

He looks started for a second, like I snapped him out of a transe, but just as soon as the look comes, it goes.

"I'm a leader here at Dauntless, and it's representitive on the Chicago Cousel."

"What's that."

"Instead of having a top leader from one faction there are five, the five the make up the cousil. One from every faction who all have equal power, giving all citizens equal representation." He says harshly.

All I do is nod. I've known many politictions in my life. All of them have been dead on the inside but lively and gergarious on the out. But Tobias seems to be cold through and through, and certenly not afraid to find it. That, or he is locking some more issues deep down.

Tobias POV

This feels so wrong. I don't know what is is about Scarlett but I'm drawn to her. It reminds me of how I felt with Tris, and anything that reminds me of her is painful. The five year anniversery of her death happend a few weeks ago. I've gone zip lining on that day the last few years to honor her. I disided when she died that I would never move on, never find anyone else. She would be my one great romance and I was okay with that. Now that I have this cumpulsion toward Scarlett I feel like I'm betraying her, spitting on her crave, and now I'm living with another women, someone I feel the need to know everything about, someone I want to be close to, physically and emotionally. The latter makes me feel quiltery. I've never been as close to someone as Tris and I was so intent on never expirencing that again, especially not as quickly and strongly as I feel toward Scarlett. I would normally talk to Zeke about this kind of thing, he is my best friend, but Christina was Tris'. She'll be able to relate to this. Tris' passing brought us much closer together than I ever thought I could be with a Candor. We're best frineds. Not the kind of close that makes Zeke and I brother, but nearly.

Myself, Zeke, Shuana, Christina, Matthew, Aiden, Noah, Brooklyn, Addison, Amar, George and Grayson always meet up at dinner together 6 and its a ten minutes till. I look up from my laptop and see Scarlett sitting on the couch, staring at nothing. She is the opposite of Tris in terms of looks. She is short and thin like Tris was but the simmilartities end there. Her hair is brown almost black. Its thick and wavy, extending down to her waist. Her features give her a beauty that smacks you in the face, while Tris' beauty wasn't on the outside. Scalrett as tan skin, with a few beauty marks dotting it. She has high cheek bones that stand out. Her eyes are almond shaped and a meduim brown. Her nose is short and wide, and turns up ever so slightly. He profile is mesmorizing. He lips are a full, dark pink. I can't stop starring at them.

Knowing that we have to start heading to dinner I call out her name and motion for her to follow me. She does without a word. I know I'm being cold to her. She is alone and probubly terrified, Christina wouldn't have asked this of me if she didn't need protecting, but I'm worried that if I start warming up to her I'll never want to stop and I couldn't do that to Tris.

"How is your back feeling?" I blurt out in a quick breath as we walk down the halls toward the cafeteria. For whatever reason I start blushing so I turn my head away.

"Fine the gravel hardly did anything." She says in that firm yet soft voice of her's.

"There was a lot of blood, it clearly did something."

"Juat because you saw blood doesn't mean it was the gravel that did the damage."

I give her a questioning look but drop the subjuct.

"So where are we going?"

"Oh- to the cafeteria I meet up with the gang there everyday at 6." I'm such an idiot I didn't say were I was taking her, I mentally face palm.

"The gang?" She laughs. Her laugh is adorible.

I smile, "Ya Addison started callin us that a while ago and it just kinda stuck."

"Huh," she says just as we are approaching the big doudle doors to the mess hall.

"I'll introduce you to everyone," I say as we approach the usual table. Everyone else is already there, "Hey guys, this is Scarlett, she just moved here from the fringe. Scarlett you already know Christina and Matthiew, and this is Noah, Aiden and Addison who are twins, Zeke and Shuana, Amar, George, Brooklyn, and Grayson." I say pointing out everyone. I turn to look at Scarlett who looks a bit overwhelmed at the group but she's dooing a good job of hidding it. We take a seat across from each other at the end of the table. I'm sitting next to Christina and Scarlett is sitting next to Noah. The two of us have never been that close and the way he's looking at her doesn't help. He and I are the only two single guys in the group and the way he treats the girls he gets with rubs me the wrong way. I don't want him anywhere near Scarlett.

* * *

SOOOO what do you guys think happened to Scarlett? Who attacked her? How doe Tobias know she isn't from the fringe? If she isn't from there where is she from and what was she running from?

Let me know your guesses in the comment section!

If you want to know what the OC Character look like there are link for them in my profile!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Scarlett POV.

After chatting with Noah for a while, I think I have a better grasp on the group dynamic. Christina and Matthew have been dating for three years. I was surprised to see that Matthew lives in Dauntless. I would have expected he would live in Erudite but Christina's here so that makes more sense. Grayson, a pale medium height guy my aged with dark brown spiked up hair and Addison, a tall pretty red head with big blue eyes have been together for 6 months,and Aiden, her twin brother, a tall slender redhead and Brooklyn, short a tan skinned girl with black hair have been hooking up for a while now. Zeke and Shauna are by far the longest lasting couple at 8 years, together since they were 15 and Amar and George been together for years. They're a loud bunch always screaming over each other, laughing, and talking about jumping off the trains and hanging off the chasm. They seem like a fun, tight knit group.

Noah seems really nice. He's handsome and charming so I'm sure girls are all over him, same as Tobias

"So how'd you meet Tobias?" Noah says. I wondering if everyone knows I living with him.

"Well I just arrived to the city today. Christina was assigned to my case and we started talking. She introduced me to Matthew and then Tobias."

"Cool," He says with a nod, "hey this might be a long shot but do you have any plans for tomorrow."

 _Didn't see that coming,_ "No did you want to hang out… as friends?" God please tell me this isn't a date...

"No it would be a date" He states.

"Well you certainly aren't shy, so I'm gonna try being the same way. Noah I got to Chicago this morning. So much is changing so quickly I need a minute to adjust. Okay?"

He smiles, "So that not a no just a yes in three weeks?"

"I don't know, we'll see." But I know there won't be a date. I haven't ever dated, I found the whole thing so intimidating. You can never be sure of some else's intentions and I've never been comfortable with the idea of trusting someone in an emotional or physical way.

"Good enough for me."

I stand up and turn to Christina, "Where are the bathrooms?"

"Here I'll show them to you," She says with a smile. We start walking to the other end of the cafeteria, "So how are things going with Tobias?"

"I mean, I really appreciate the fact that he's letting me into his home but to be honest I didn't expect him to be so cold."

She chuckles, "Ya he takes a while to warm up to people. I mean it was over a year of knowing each other to get as close as we are today."

"So you guys are close?" I ask questionably.

"I'm dating Matthew. Have been for years. Tobias doesn't date."

"Oh that's not what I meant. I was just wondering if you knew what his deal was. Everyone else has been really open and welcoming but the person you trusted with my life hasn't said ten sentences to me."

She looks around like the answer will pop up in the air. "Tobias has been through a lot in his life, I mean we all have, but him especially. He might surprise you."

All I do is nod taking in the information, "And Scarlett – does anyone call you Scar?" I nod, "Scar I have it on good authority that he does not in fact hate you."

I smile and blush a bit at what she is suggesting.

"Anyways I'm having a girls night at my apartment tomorrow would you want to come?"

"Ya absolutely, sounds fun." I've never had a girls night before, so I'm not to sure what it entails but I want to get to know these people better.

As we are leaving the restroom someone calls out Christian name. I would think we would be turning to walk toward the person who called out for us but she grabs my wrist and pulls me the opposite direction.

"Christina I know you heard me get over !"

She groans and spins on her heels starring do the guy following us.

He's handsome, standing at around 5'10 with light skin, sandy blonde hair, and green eyes. He looks my age and wears blue suggesting that he's from Erudite and has glasses with square frames.

"What do you want Caleb? What the hell are you doing here." Christina hisses, staring him down.

"I know Cara is staying with you will you please just let me see her. She's being so irrational about this." I wonder who Cara is...  
"I think she made it abundantly clear your relationship is over and she never wants to see you again."

"She is being dramatic, she can't destroy something that has been good for years. She needs to come back home. I'm good for her."

"Oh get over yourself and get out of Dauntless. No one wants you here. I hate you and so does everyone else. You drove away the last person that cared about you and now you're all alone but I don't feel sorry for you. I don't want to look at you anymore. Leave before I drag you out." With that Christina walks away and I'm left there standing dumbfounded. Christina seems like one of the nicest people but man does she have bite. Following in her footsteps I leave the guys, Caleb I think his name was, on his own. He's just standing there. I feel kind of sorry for him. I don't know what he did but clearly something has been eating away at him for a while.

When I get back to the table the loud, fun group I was at five minutes ago is gone and the one that has taken its place is silent. Matthew has his arm around Christina holding her tight. Zeke and Shauna look pissed, while everyone else has there heads down. And Tobias is gone. I feel like if I were to sit back down I would be interrupting a moment which is clearly so private to the people around me. So I grab my tray of food throw it out and leave the cafeteria.

I first just think of going back to the apartment but that probably where Tobias went and we both want to be alone right now. I walk down one of the halls I think leads to the Chasm and my suspicions are confirmed when I start to hear the roar of the water ahead. When I reach it I follow the edge walking along carefully. One misstep and I fall fifty feet down to the water. I'm playing with death but I feel like just being in this city is playing with death. I know for sure that two people are aware of my divergence. Christina told me thats what its called. She and Matthew know. Dominic's memory of that day has been erased and Christina said Matthew manually entered my results as Dauntless. Tobias also might know, demanding Christina tell him the reason he got stuck with me. Even though the people I who are think my friends know the truth, it still feels like it could get out. Christina wouldn't have been so worried if she was confident they could keep things under wraps.

Questions about why this is even a problem are mysteries to me. If this is the kind of thing that could kill me, I can't just casually bring up the questions I need answers to in a conversation with someone. Like how is it that it's expected to be divergent but not as divergent as I am. But maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way. Matthew said he didn't think it was possible to get all five factions, yet somehow I did. He called it fascinating and I'm sure he's not the only fancy government scientist who would think that. And how do I know to even trust Matthew or Christina. They stashed me away with Tobias, manually entered my results and even went to far as to erase the memory of me from someone's mind. But did they do it to save me or to have my brain for themselves?

I don't know how long I've been walking along the Chasm, ten, twenty, thirty minutes, but before I know it I hit a dead end where the rushing river dips down under the rock formation that makes up one of the walls of the compound and disappears. I sit down and through my legs over the edge so they're dangling in the air. From here I see that there is a little ledge about five feet below me. Without thinking I drop down, my soles smacking the stone. When I turn around I find a little cave carved out from the rock that make up the pathway about. Sitting there staring back at me is Tobias.

He sitting with her back against the wall, one leg stretched out in front of him, the other pulled up with his arm slung over his knee. His hair is in disarray, like he's been running his hands through it and this eyes are shiny like they get right before you tear up.

Neither one of us says anything. I'm about to turn around and climb back up to the path but he calls out, "You don't have to leave. Did you follow me here?"

"No," I say quickly, "Found it when I was walking along the edge."

"You're playing with death."

I don't have much to say to that. He pats the ground next to him and I step forward then sit down keeping a few feet between us. When I sit I bring my knees up to my chest and close my eyes trying to focus on the sound of the water but once again I hear that strong voice that I love more every time i hear it, "I'm not going to ask why you're in danger, just know that if you're ever in trouble or you just need to talk or break something or scream I'm there. It's kind of what I here for."

"You're here because Christina asked you to make sure no one murders me. I know I'm an inconvenience you don't have to be polite about it."

"Your right and wrong. Yes 'm here to make sure no one hurts you but I'm also here to make sure you don't hurt you. From past experiences I know that when a person's life is in danger for too long they can stop seeing the importance of not dying and start seeing it as something inevitable. Also don't think of yourself as an inconvenience because I don't"

"What do you see me as?"

After a pause to consider he responds, "How's you back feeling?" _Why did you change the subject?_

"Like hell," Maybe if I tell him something honestly he'll do the same, "Where did you get the idea that I'm not from the fringe?"

"I stand by me earlier statement. I'm not telling you."

"Then aren't other people just going to find out? No one beyond the fringe is supposed to know about Chicago and not only does someone from beyond known but one's here. If someone in the government found out I'd be executed on the spot. Why didn't you execute me? If someone found out you knew I was here what would happen to you? I not worth destroying more than my own life."

"There is no possible way anyone else knows, I am one hundred percent sure of that, and I don't think it's a big deal. I have no idea how you found out about the Chicago project or how you got here but I don't see you as a threat to the population's safety. I think you ran away her because you had no where else to escape. This was supposed to be a safe haven for you and it so quickly turned into danger. I'm going to do what I can to make this place the escape you hope it would be."

"Why are you doing this for me. Earlier today you were cold and harsh and now you want to save me and be there for me. I don't get it."

"I don't open up to most people I keep people as far away from the who I actually am at all time but I don't know… I just don't want to do that with you. I don't know how long you're going to be staying with me so and I don't think either of us want to spend that time in awkward silence. Maybe it wouldn't be terrible to get to know each other. I mean I don't know the first thing about you."

"How about this I ask you a question, then you ask me a question and you have to answer honestly."  
"Sounds like a game for the candor"

"So you don't want to play?"  
"Maybe another time, I have to go do something right now. Here is the spare key to my apartment," He says taking it off the link containing about ten others, "I'll meet you back at the apartment later." And with that he stands up, walks out of the cave, and climbs up to the path.

* * *

 **Hey people! Hope you're liking the story so far! I have a pretty good idea where this is going but if you have any suggestions please let me know in the comment section. Make sure to review it encourages me to keep posting! I'm going to try posting again today because I wont be able to tomorrow because I have school then work till like 11 but if not today Friday or Saturday! Make sure to follow/favorite so you know when I've updated! Thanks so much**


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